Pitch mark repair device and a method for repairing a pitch mark on a golf green

ABSTRACT

A pitch mark repair device including a pushing tool ( 12 ) and a restoring tool ( 14 ). The pushing tool ( 12 ) defines a cone-shaped pushing formation ( 20 ) the restoring tool ( 14 ) comprises two spaced elongate tines ( 22.1 ) and ( 22.2 ) that extend outwardly from the pushing tool ( 12 ). In use, to repair a pitch mark, the pushing formation ( 20 ) is pushed into the pitch mark thereby forming a deepened cone-shaped depression. As such, the damaged grass on the surface of the turf is pushed deeper into the ground. The tines of the restoring tool ( 14 ) are then inserted into the turf spaced sufficiently from the peripheral edge of the depressed pitch mark so as to leave a region of healthy grass between the tines and the depressed pitch mark. By levering the tines towards the inside of the depressed pitch mark, the pitch mark is filled in with turf having a healthy grass layer.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

THIS INVENTION relates to a method of repairing a pitch mark on a golf green.

It relates also to a pitch mark repair device for use in repairing a pitch mark on a golf green.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

When a golf ball lands on a green, the golf ball causes a dent commonly referred to as a pitch mark. In many instances the grass in the pitch mark is irreparably damaged by the ball. In some instances, a grass layer may be removed from the turf where the ball pitches. A common method employed to repair pitch marks is to insert the shank of a golf tee or the tines of a pitch mark repair fork into the turf surrounding the pitch mark and to pry the turf near the surface of the pitch mark towards the area of the dent to fill in the dent. This method of repairing a pitch mark is unsatisfactory as the damaged grass is not repaired but merely raised to the surface. In order for the damaged grass layer of the pitch mark to be restored, new grass will have to replace the damaged grass. This process may take a few weeks to occur.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a method of repairing a pitch mark on a golf green, including

pushing damaged turf of the pitch mark, downwardly into the green with a pushing tool so as to deepen the depression of the pitch mark;

inserting an elongate tine into the turf surrounding the depressed pitch mark, at a position spaced slightly outwardly from a periphery of the depressed pitch mark so as to leave a region of healthy grass between the tine and the depressed pitch mark; and

urging the turf with a healthy grass layer thereon, laterally inwardly into the depressed pitch mark by levering the tine towards the inside of the depressed pitch mark about a fulcrum defined at the lower end of the tine, thereby to fill the pitch mark with said turf having a healthy grass layer thereon.

The method may include repeatedly inserting and levering the tine towards the inside of the depressed pitch mark from a number of positions surrounding the pitch mark, thereby to urge said turf having a healthy grass layer thereon laterally inwardly into the depressed pitch mark until the pitch mark is completely filled in with turf having a healthy grass layer thereon.

The method may include levelling the filled-in pitch mark by pressing down on the turf within the pitch mark until it is level with turf surrounding the pitch mark.

The method may include inserting the tine into the turf surrounding the pitch mark at an angle of approximately 65° relative to the surface of the healthy turf surrounding the pitch mark.

The method may include inserting the tine approximately 10 mm away from a peripheral edge of the depressed pitch mark, prior to levering the tine towards the inside of the depressed pitch mark.

The method may included depressing the damaged turf of the pitch mark, by approximately 10 mm.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a pitch mark repair device for use in repairing a pitch mark on a golf green, including:

a pushing tool for pushing damaged turf of the pitch mark downwardly into the green so as to deepen the depression of the pitch mark; and

a restoring tool that is connected to the pushing tool and that has at least one elongate tine that can be inserted into the turf surrounding the depressed pitch mark, at a position spaced slightly outwardly from the periphery of the depressed pitch mark so as to leave a region of healthy grass between the tine and the depressed pitch mark and that can be levered towards the inside of the depressed pitch mark, thereby to fill the pitch mark with turf having a healthy grass layer thereon, in use.

The pushing tool may define a cone-shaped pushing formation that can be pushed into damaged turf of a pitch mark.

The cone angle of the pushing formation may be approximately 30°.

The restoring tool may comprise two spaced, parallel elongate tines that extend outwardly from an upper region of the pushing formation of the pushing tool.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further features of the invention are described hereinafter by way of a non-limiting example of the invention, with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying diagrammatic drawings. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 shows a schematic perspective view of a pitch mark repair device in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 shows a schematic side view of the pitch mark repair device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows a top plan view of the pitch mark repair device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 shows a schematic end view of the pitch mark repair device of FIG. 3, as viewed along direction indicator arrow IV of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 shows a schematic end view of the pitch mark repair device of FIG. 3, as viewed along direction indicator arrow V of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 shows a schematic side view of a pitch mark formed in a golf green;

FIGS. 7 and 8 show schematic side views of the pitch mark repair device of FIG. 1, illustrating the sequence in which the pushing tool of the pitch mark repair device is used to form a cone-shaped depression in the region of a pitch mark; and

FIG. 9 shows a schematic side view of the pitch mark repair device of FIG. 1, illustrating the manner in which the tines of the restoring tool of the pitch mark repair device are used to urge a healthy layer of grass thereon, into the depressed pitch mark.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference to the drawings, a pitch mark repair device in accordance with the invention is designated generally by the reference numeral 10. The pitch mark repair device 10 includes a pushing tool 12 and a restoring tool 14. The device 10 is of metal such as brass, which is cast in one piece.

The pushing tool 12 has an upper end 16 and a lower end 18 and defines a cone-shaped pushing formation 20. The pushing formation has a cone angle a of approximately 30°. The upper end 16 defines a flat surface 21 and the lower end 18 is rounded. The pushing tool defines a step formation 23 that is disposed operatively above the pushing formation 20. The step formation has a generally annular configuration and extends circumferentially adjacent a base of the cone-shaped pushing formation.

The restoring tool 14 comprises two spaced, parallel, straight, elongate tines 22.1 and 22.2 that extend outwardly from the pushing tool at its upper end.

In use, to repair a pitch mark 24, the cone-shaped pushing formation 20 of the pushing tool 12 is positioned directly above the pitch mark 24 and the pushing formation is pushed downwardly into the pitch mark thereby deepening the depression of the pitch mark and forming a deepened cone-shaped depression 26. As such, the damaged grass on the surface of the turf that is depressed when the pitch mark was made, is pushed deeper into the ground. The device 10 is handled by holding the tines in a hand of a person using the device and with the person's thumb located on the flat surface 21 a downward pressure is exerted on the pushing formation 20. The step formation 23 assists in preventing turf from being displaced upwards along the sides of the pushing formation and over the rim of a pitch mark as the pushing formation is pushed into a pitch mark. As such, the step formation 23 provides a peripheral lip which blocks the upward displacement of turf as it is pushed downwardly.

The tines of the restoring tool 14 are then inserted into the turf surrounding the depressed pitch mark 26 at an angle of approximately 65° and spaced approximately 10 mm away from a peripheral edge of the depressed pitch mark. As such, the tines of the restoring tool 14 are spaced sufficiently from the peripheral edge of the depressed pitch mark so as to leave a region “A” of healthy grass between the tines and the depressed pitch mark. The turf having a healthy grass layer thereon, is urged laterally inwardly (in the direction illustrated by direction indicator arrow B of FIG. 9) into the depressed pitch mark 26 by levering the tines towards the inside of the depressed pitch mark about a fulcrum defined at lower ends of the tines. The tines are repeatedly inserted and levered towards the inside of the depressed pitch mark from a number of positions surrounding the pitch mark, thereby to urge turf having a healthy grass layer thereon, laterally inwardly into the depressed pitch mark until the pitch mark is completely filled in with turf having a healthy grass layer thereon. Thereafter, the surface of the filled-in pitch mark is gently tapped down using, for example, the underside of a golf putter, until the surface of the filled-in turf is level with the turf surrounding the pitch mark.

By pushing the damaged grass layer downwards and filling in the depressed pitch mark with turf having a healthy layer of grass thereon, the pitch mark is restored completely.

It will be appreciated that the pitch mark repair device in accordance with the invention may be suitable for use in repairing pitch marks on a golf fairway. Any reference in the specification to the restoration of pitch marks on a golf green must be interpreted to include a reference to the restoration of pitch marks on a golf fairway. It is also envisaged by the applicant that the pitch mark repair device may be used to repair divots in a golf fairway in a manner similar to that described and defined hereinabove. 

1. A method of repairing a pitch mark on a golf green, including pushing damaged turf of the pitch mark, downwardly into the green with a pushing tool so as to deepen the depression of the pitch mark; inserting an elongate tine into the turf surrounding the depressed pitch mark, at a position spaced slightly outwardly from a periphery of the depressed pitch mark so as to leave a region of healthy grass between the tine and the depressed pitch mark; and urging the turf with a healthy grass layer thereon, laterally inwardly into the depressed pitch mark by levering the tine towards the inside of the depressed pitch mark about a fulcrum defined at the lower end of the tine, thereby to fill the pitch mark with said turf having a healthy grass layer thereon.
 2. A method as claimed in claim 1, which includes repeatedly inserting and levering the tine towards the inside of the depressed pitch mark from a number of positions surrounding the pitch mark, thereby to urge said turf having a healthy grass layer thereon laterally inwardly into the depressed pitch mark until the pitch mark is completely filled in with turf having a healthy grass layer thereon.
 3. A method as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 which includes levelling the filled-in pitch mark by pressing down on the turf within the pitch mark until it is level with turf surrounding the pitch mark.
 4. A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, which includes inserting the tine into the turf surrounding the pitch mark at an angle of approximately 65° relative to the surface of the healthy turf surrounding the pitch mark.
 5. A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, which includes inserting the tine approximately 10 mm away from a peripheral edge of the depressed pitch mark, prior to levering the tine towards the inside of the depressed pitch mark.
 6. A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, which includes depressing the damaged turf of the pitch mark, by approximately 10 mm.
 7. A pitch mark repair device for use in repairing a pitch mark on a golf green, includes: a pushing tool for pushing damaged turf of the pitch mark downwardly into the green so as to deepen the depression of the pitch mark; and a restoring tool that is connected to the pushing tool and that has at least one elongate tine that can be inserted into the turf surrounding the depressed pitch mark, at a position spaced slightly outwardly from the periphery of the depressed pitch mark so as to leave a region of healthy grass between the tine and the depressed pitch mark and that can be levered towards the inside of the depressed pitch mark, thereby to fill the pitch mark with turf having a healthy grass layer thereon, in use.
 8. A device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the pushing tool defines a cone-shaped pushing formation that can be pushed into damaged turf of a pitch mark.
 9. A device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the cone angle of the pushing formation is approximately 30°.
 10. A device as claimed in claim 8 or claim 9, wherein the pushing tool defines an annular step formation that is disposed operatively above the pushing formation.
 11. A device as claimed in any one of claims 7 to 10, wherein the restoring tool comprises two spaced, parallel elongate tines that extend outwardly from an upper region of the pushing formation of the pushing tool.
 12. A new method substantially as described in the specification.
 13. A method substantially as described in the specification with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying diagrammatic drawings.
 14. A new pitch mark repair device substantially as described in the specification.
 15. A pitch mark repair device substantially as described in the specification with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying diagrammatic drawings. 